Promises of a paperless society have been floating around for the past several decades, yet the advent of the home printer and the inks and toners needed by printers in homes and offices everywhere continues to keep this massive industry going with no sign of disappearing any time soon. Picture your computer printer at home. Sure you got it on sale at Costco for only $150, but after a month of use, you're out of ink, and when you go back to get a new cartridge, it costs $60 ($25 for the black and $35 for the color). Print regularly for three months and you've paid the price of the printer all over again.

What's more, ink retailers have figured out in recent years how to reuse cartridges by refilling them with new ink. This saves the consumer a good deal of money, which translates into increased traffic at a small business that provides such a service, because many major retailers do not offer refills. If getting in to the business of ink seems like a good idea to you, check out the following list of ink opportunities to find the retail franchise that's right for you.

While it's not exactly printing money, it's close. Since the majority of homes in America have an inkjet printer and all printers need ink, these ink franchises generate big profits through refills and new cartridges as discounted prices.

Rapid Refill is one of the biggest names in the ink-retailing industry, sporting a wide array of products from HP and Canon to their own in-house brand of ink cartridges. With a nationally recognized name and a great central marketing team behind them, franchisees with this computer franchise enjoy all the benefits of being part of a corporate chain without having to actually be one.

Cartridge World is similar to Rapid Refill but differs in that their greatest claim to fame is their knack for refilling cartridges. This franchise prides itself on its commitment to preserving the environment by reusing instead of tossing aside empty cartridges. Many consumers love this greener approach to ink cartridges that helps the environment and provides them with a cheaper alternative to new cartridges.

Unlike the others, InkCredibles franchises specialize in providing ink refill services to small business offices, not individual consumers. This means that ongoing business relationships are vital to the success of the franchise, which is a different game altogether than the retail establishments.

Cartridge on Wheels has the distinct advantage of being a mobile franchise. Cartridge on Wheels specifically serves the business sector, ordering ink and toner cartridges for larger, industrial-size machines and delivering them directly to the client. Business is done directly from a brightly colored van that serves as delivery vehicle, warehouse, and office, all in one.

Looking at these business options in the niche market of ink cartridges, it's easy to see that there are franchise opportunities for just about any type of business. Ink may sound like a peculiar business, but when it comes down to making a living, it has already proven to be a successful endeavor for those who have taken advantage of it.